There is no doubt for those who go hard out with their multi-sport and AR that the constant pounding does eventually, overload joints and eventually impedes mobility. We do not have to look far and wide for a magic elixir as our TV screens and even our supermarket shelves are brimming with bottles of the miracle supplement combo of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate; now with added bits and pieces such as Botswellia. There is no doubting the efficacy of this treatment although time to relief may be counted in the weeks rather than days.

There will soon be a next generation of compounds available to supplement manufacturers that will provide superior healing properties and pain relief for those with joint injuries and incapacities. These new aids will work over time—either alone or in combination with traditional joint-health supplements—to provide comprehensive, broad-spectrum support for joint repair and tissue regeneration.

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Adventure racing is a hugely challenging and exhausting sport it requires a combination of multi-disciplinary endurance, outdoors survival skills,unwavering team work and military-level organisation and deployment. To compete effectively means bringing your fitness and racing standards up to speed across trail running, MTB, and paddling at the very least and add into this any combination of roller blading, canyoneering, orienteering, cross country skiing and even buffalo riding. A daunting array of disciplines, without doubt!

There are very few full time professional adventure racers; most competitors are part time athletes with full time jobs. Finding the time to prepare adequately and fund equipment, travel and participation costs as a part-timer is never easy.

Where to start?

Fitness, skill and strength preparation so you can at least complete an event is a necessary foundation; don’t look past it.

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As the days get shorter and colder the nights begins earlier and lasts longer, raising the importance of visibility when training.Being lit up like the MCG for a day night game is a good thing when training whether on the bike or on foot or in the
mountains on snowshoes. The easier you are to see the easier you are to avoid.

Nathan Sports well known for their radical but effective hydration systems have produced a swathe of new reflective and LED enhanced visibility products. We have begun a series of tests of some of these products the results of which
we will publish over the next few weeks.

These have been given a solid work out in -6 frosts over the past 4 weeks at both dusk and dawn and have been given the two ( warm, toasty and quite visible ) thumbs up.Available in 2 standard sizes, the gloves fit nicely, not too clingy, not too loose so that circulation is not impeded. The fabric is a breathable and wind resistant synthetic that makes a fair fist of keeping your mitts warm without getting overly clammy. Importantly, the fabric is also water-resistant, protecting your hands and preventing discomfort in the wet and the cold. A neat feature was the sticky frog dimples which were great for gripping the drink bottle; nice detail.

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I recently retired my venerable Diadora Cobra MTB shoes which I used year round for training and to be fair they were still pretty much in working order. They were not flash but they were reliable and comfortable. Upgrading recently to the rather trendy looking Ergo carbon model was a wee shock to my retro fashion sensibilities.

When assessing a shoe, I am particularly interested in the fit, the comfort and the effectiveness (power transmission); at a pinch I would consider traction an issue but not at the expense of the other functions unless of course I used the bike to round up free range tahr.

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Given the nature of some of the questions we field from readers, I can’t help but think more of you should be investigating the use of professional coaching services to lift your performance.

Why bother with a coach, after all, many top athletes are self-coached.

Most people start with a need to have their fitness levels assessed (or at least they should) and a training plan drawn up. However, a valuable coach-athlete relationship can provide much more than that if you are serious about reaching your goals.

There is a real dog’s breakfast out there in terms of choice; from the unqualified hack to the super ego ex-legend through to the nutty professor. To reduce the risk of making a poor choice, you need to conduct some thorough research ahead of purchasing any service.
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It is time to start looking forward to shorter, colder, wetter days and with it, often declining motivation.  Now is the time to sot in some fixed wheel training sessions in the comfort of your lounge room.

There are a variety of types of trainers, the most common being Wind trainers, Mag trainers and rollers.  Wind trainers have been around the greatest length of time.  These machines work on the principle that as you pedal faster, the fan spins faster creating an increase in wind resistance.  Magnetic trainers work on the opposing forces of two magnets within a certain distance of each other, so resistance is increased by having the magnets closer to each other within the hub.  Both the wind trainer and the magnetic trainer work on clasping the rear axle, with resistance being applied to the back wheel in the form of a roller.  An increase in friction (pressure) is then applied via the roller being pushed harder against the tyre, or the magnetic plates being forced closer together.  Rollers are typically used by elite riders, as they require a reasonable sense of balance.  If you are having trouble with even pedal strokes these can assist you to balance it out – or you’ll end up on the carpet trying.  However it is very difficult to load up much resistance on rollers The wind trainers are often noisier than the magnetic trainers, however at the same speed, magnetic trainers do not provide the same resistance.  Therefore, for a better work-out at the same speed a wind trainer or rollers are better suited to actual road riding.

Points to remember when indoor training:

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This new model makes use of carbon bar ends to deliver a ’softer and warmer ‘feel in the hands with a substantial drop in overall weight. The ERGON GR2 are an impressive addition to the stable of grips from these German innovators.

As becomes obvious after enough time riding in all conditions, hands, feet and backside; the three crucial points of contact between yourself and your bike - get power transfer and comfort right and you will improve efficiency and conserve energy at these points. Get it wrong and long shall you suffer. While your butt and feet are front and centre of manufacturer’s attention, grips have long been forgotten, they have changed little over the years.

There’s no doubt that RTI Sports has produced a range of grips that improve comfort and reduce wear and tear on your
hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and neck. The ERGON range of grips produced by RTI are so good they have earned their
makers a prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2006.

Beautifully packaged, to the point of over engineering, the product pack will trigger some interesting unpacking techniques I’m sure I was forced to battlefield bludgeoning but then again I am not blessed with patience.

In a nut shell, the GR2 are a real joy to use. They deliver peerless superb comfort and performance over all terrains and conditions. I much preferred the feel of the carbon bar ends to the magnesium of my previous grips; more so in the cold weather with the carbon being a vastly superior insulating material.

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